Tube-forming apparatus



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. E F HOLINGER TUBE FORMING APPARATUS.

6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. F. HOLIIIGfER.Y TUBE PORMING APPARATUS.'

Patented May 10,1898.

(No liodel.)

(No Model.) s sheetssheen s.

E. F. HOLINGBR. TUBE FORMING APPARATUS.

No. 603,787. Patented 'May 10,1898.

Ww M 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

E. I'. HOLINGBR. TUBE FORMING APPARATUS.

Patented vMany 10,1898.

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TUBE FORMING yAI PBAVITIS.

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(No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 6. E. F. HOLINGER. TUBE FORMING APPARATUS.

Patented May 10, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL F. HOLINGER, OF MCKEESIORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORvTO THE NATIONAL TUBE WORKS COMPANY, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TUBE-FORMING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,787, dated May 10, 1898. Application liled December 6, 18927. Serial No. 660,828. (No model.)

y mechanism for transforming a suitably-hot solid billet into a hollow object by forcing the hot metal to exude from an annular outlet at the end of a hollow die, in which the hot billet is primarily deposited, against the pointed end and over the body of a conoidally-pointed core.

The characteristic features ofthe mechanism embodying the improvements shown, in the accompanying drawings are as follows, to wit: a stationary (preferably upright) cylindrical conoidally-pointed core-head; a vertically-reciprocable hollow die for containing the hot billet, arranged in axial alinement with and having at the bottom a fiarin g mouth surrounding the upper part of the core and having a range of movement equal to or slightly exceeding the length of the metallic object to be formed; a swage-block for deposit upon the upper lend of the billet within the die, the said swage-block being spheroidally recessed upon its under side and having a flat upper side for engagement by the end of the plunger by which the metal of the billet is forced downward; a `dislodgeable centralizing-ri-ng at the lower end of the die having a sliding fit upon the cylindrical part of the core-head; a stripper consisting of a crosshead secured to bolts extending downward from the reciprocable hollow die and perforated to permit' the passage through it of the core; a water-jacketed carriage for carrying the hollow die; hydraulic cylinders and pistons for elevating said carriage and hollow die, and, finally, series of independently-removable liners for regulating the position at which the carriage and hollow die come to rest at the conclusion of their downward excnrsion, and thereby so adjusting the liaring mouth of the die with relation to the conoidal head of the core as to regulate, as may be desired, the width of the annular space between the die and the head of the core, and hence regulate the thickness of the shell of the hollow vprod uct.

The drawings are as follows: Figure l is a central vertical section of the y apparatus, showing a billet within the die and showing the parts in position for the descent 5 5 of the main plunger at the commencement of the operation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by the dotted line x oc on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by 6o the dotted line y y on Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are central vertical sections similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating successive stages in the operation of transforming the solid billet into a tubular object and nally stripping it from the core.

The drawings represent a hollow die A of a cross area progressively increasing in a downward direction,having at its upper end a Iiange A',Which is seated in the upper end of the car- 7o riage B. The carriage B is represented as provided with a water-j acket B', through which it is intended there shall be maintained a constant circulation of cold water. Verticallyperforatedribs B2 B2 ad apt the carriage to slide 7 5 upon the columns B3 B3, the lower ends of which are fastened to the bed-plate B4, while their upper ends are fastened to and support the main hydraulic cylinder O. The ram O has aflixed to its lower end the plunger O2, 8o which is in vertical alinement with the die A. Laterally-projecting lugs D D are adapted to v engage the upper ends of the vertical pistons D D', seated in the hydraulic cylinders D2D2. v These hydraulic appliances are represented conventionally. It will be understood that water under pressure is introduced into the lower ends of the cylinders D2 D2 when'it is desired to elevate the carriage B and die A, after which when it is desired that the carv9o riage and die shall descend the water is allowed to escape from the lower ends of the cylinders D2 D2. The descent of the carriage and die is arrested by the collision of the bottoms of the ribs B2 B2 with the'uppermost 95 members of the superposed series E E of independently-removable liners deposited upon the upper ends of the hollow standards E E", which inclose the lower portions of the columns B3 B2.

The carriage B is provided with vertical apertures for admission of the bolts F` F, pro- IOO with the carriage B and die A and serve as a i stripper for the finished product.

The lower end of the die .A is composed of the spheroidal downwardly-haring portion a, the cylindrical portion a', and the slightlyconical annular recess G at the bottom to receive and partially contain the centerin g-ring G', which is adapted to bear with a sliding fit upon the cylindrical part of the core-head H, screwed into the upper end of the core-stem H. The core stem H extends downward loosely through a perforation in the crosshead or stripper F4 and is secured atits lower end to the standard I. The standardIis adj ustably clamped to the bed-plate by means of the bolts I I and the elbow-clamps I2 I2.

Immediately beneath the stripper F4 is a circular sprinkler J, which in operation is kept `supplied with water under' pressure by means of the flexible pipe or hose J. The water thus supplied is ejected through apertures in the sprinkler against the core-stem H and ultimately against the core-head H for the purpose of keeping those parts cool.

In operation, the parts having been brought into the relative positions in which they are represented in Fig. l, a suitably-hot billet A2 is deposited in the die A. A swage-block b, having its under side provided with a spheroidal cavity b', is introduced into the die A above the billet A2. The main hydraulic ram is then actuated and the plunger C2 descends and by driving the swage-block downward forces the metal of the billet to exude through the annular outlet between the corehead H and the spheroidally-flaring wall a of the die.

Under ordinary conditions the downward thrust upon the upper end of the billet would tend to upset and expand the metal laterally, and thereby cause the billet to jam in the die. To provide for this contingency, two expedients are employed: First, as has already been mentioned, the die is made to progressively increase in cross area in a downward direction; secondly, the downward thrust is at the upper end of the billet is made to iiow convergently toward the center and to fill said cavity, the sides of which oppose any lateral iow of the metal contained within the cavity.

Instead of employing the swage-block b, a f

spheroidal cavity might be formed in the lower end of the plunger C2; but it is preferv able to employ the swage-block in order to protect the lower end of the plunger from immediate contact with the hot billet, and because the swage-block, when worn by continued use, can be replaced at small cost.

Fig. -1 represents the condition of the parts when the exuding metal has inclosed the upper portion of the core-head and partially dislodged the centering-ring G from its seat.

Fig. 5 represents a further stage in the operation after the centering-ring, having been fully dislodged from its seat, has dropped and lodged upon the top of the stripper F4.

Fig. 6 represents a further stage inthe operation after the metal has been entirely expelled from the die, the plunger C2 elevated to its normal position, and the carriage B, by the actuation of the hydraulic pistons D D', has ascended so far as to start the work upward upon the core. The swage-block b, which in Fig. 6 is represented as deposited upon the apex ofthe prod uct, is now to be removed by tongs.

Fig. '7 represents the conclusion of the stripping operation, showing the sprinkler discharging it-s jets of water against the corehead I-I, and showing the product completely stripped from the core in readiness to be removed preparatory to restoring the parts of the apparatus to the positions in which they are represented in Fig. l for a repetition of the operation.

The employment in the described organization of a core-head having below its conoidal point a cylindrical portion for combination with the centering-ring is of the essence of the invention. Because of this device the centering-ring is not dislodged from its seat, and hence does not cease to perform its centralizing function until there has been formed around the core head a tube of sufficient length to thereafter itself preserve the centralization of the core-head with relation to the die.

What is claimed as the ,invention isl. In apparatus for transforming hot billets into hollow objects by forcing the exudation of the hot metal through an annular orifice, the combination, as herein set forth, of a stationary upright core having at its upper end a conoidally-pointed cylindrical core-head; a vertically-reciprocable hollow die and means for holding said hollow die stationary for feeding a billet in axial alinement with said core;

means for imparting vertical movement to said die; a hydraulic plunger for forcing said billet downwardly through said die a fiaring mouth for said hollow die surrounding a prescribed portion of said conoidally-pointed core-head, and a centering-rin g dislodgeably seated in a bearing at the lower end of said hollow die and having a sliding t upon the j cylindrical portion of said core-head, for centralizing said core-head with relation to said flaring mouth during the initial part of the billet-transforming operation.

2. The combination, as herein set forth, of a stationary upright core having a conoidallypointed cylindrical head; a vertically-reciprocable hollow die having a flaring mouth concentrically surrounding said conoidallypointed core-head at a prescribed distance therefrom; a hydraulic plunger for forcing a hot billet downward through said hollow die against and around said core; means for imparting vertical motion to said hollow die, and a stripper connected to and moving with said hollow die for stripping from said core the hollow object formed thereon by the downward thrust of said plunger upon said billet.

3. ln apparatus for transforming a hot billet into a hollow object by forcing Ythe hot metal through a hollow die against and around a conoidally-pointed cylindrical core-head a hollow die composed of an upper portion corresponding in the shape of its cross-section to the -cross-sectional shape of said billet and in a slight degree progressively increasing in cross area in a downward direction, and of a lower portion composed of a spheroidally-laring section concentrically surrounding the conoidal part of the head of said core at a prescribed distance therefrom, and below said ,a-ring section a cylindrical section concentrically surrounding the cylindrical part of the said core-head at a prescribed distance therefrom.

4. In apparatus for transforming a hot billet into a hollow object by forcing the hot metal to eXude from an annular orifice, a stationary upright conoidally-pointed core; a hollow die arranged inappropriate alinement with said core; a vertically-reciprocable carriage for carrying said hollow die; a stripper arranged at a prescribed distance below and connected to and moving with said hollow die and carriage; means for imparting vertical movement to said carriage; a reciprocable plunger arranged at `a prescribed distance above said hollow die inv appropriate alinement therewith and adapted to enter said hollow die, and means for imparting endwise reciprocating movements to said plunger, as and for the purposes set forth.

EMIL F. IIoLiNGER.

Witnesses:y Y p THos. M. BELKNAP, A. M. JONES.

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